Take Refuge: A Contemporary View of The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of vila takes to heart the classical Christian calling to care for the outsider, the individuals who dwell on the margins. Recognizing todays complex cultural context, in which refugees worldwide present pervasive humanitarian challenges, Patricia Greene seeksin the most revered work of a sixteenth-century Carmelite nunthe guidance for Christians who desire to respond to those challenges. By treating the spiritual territory explored by St. Teresa as a place, Take Refuge presents exploration as a kind of travelogue journey where the reader accompanies the author. She entwines her experiences with the outsider, her perceptions of the contemporary world, and her descriptions and explanations of The Interior Castle to create a work that spans five centuries and derives its power from the depths of the tradition it embraces. Take Refuge: A Contemporary View of The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of vila shares a compelling and powerful vision for how to live out the Christian faith, discover ways to welcome the outsider, and draw strength along the way.
Category: Religion

T.R.I 66 presents one verse each from the 66 books of the bible. The chosen verse is either the central theme of that book or one that carries on the theme of The Bible. In today's society of text messages, shortcuts and abbreviated thoughts, the purpose of compiling this short book is to introduce the entire Bible. Every book within it offers hope that we all seek. These are the words that have consoled and guided millions through previous years. Take Refuge in 66 books of hope and promise, The Bible.
Category: Religion

"Based on direct observations, private interviews, and careful textual and historical analysis, Stuart Chandler looks at the challenges faced by Master Xingyun and his followers as they try to adhere to traditional practices and values while tapping into the advantages afforded by modern, global society." "Anyone with an interest in modern Buddhism or Chinese religion and culture will find Establishing a Pure Land on Earth an accessible, in-depth study of one of the most important Buddhist movements of the twenty-first century."--BOOK JACKET.
Category: Philosophy

The Chandogya Upanisad: The culture it reflects is remote and archaic, the texture of its ritualistic and contemplative symbolism thick and dense-virtually a closed book for us moderns. A sustained self-submitting attentiveness, however, discloses its language as resonating disturbingly modern notes, focusing our attention on many of our pathologies as well as our possibilities, pathologies and possibilities that have escaped the notice of us moderns. The spirit of quiet hermeneutics that characterizes this study illumines many an opaque spot in this text, solves many an interpretive puzzle, turns many of its 'archaic naivetes' into living and compelling profundities. We are made to realize that what some moderns call Gestell is far more primordial than they would envisage it to be, far more ominous and primitive, tragic and persistent. A radical transformation is required, an ontological transformation. Not mere 'a masterly exposition' of an ancient text is, therefore, this study, but 'an authentic springboard for fresh philosophical thinking fecundating (the) two shores of the human experience: East and West'. The first three (published) Vols. are on (i) Isa, Kena, Katha and Prasna Upanisads; (ii) Mundaka and Mandukya Upanisad with Gaudapada Karika; (iii) Taittiriya and Aitareya Upanisads.
Category: Hinduism

These days, when Zen has become a kind of shorthand for anything that’s enigmatic or aesthetically spare, it’s refreshing be reminded that Zen is at heart a practice for waking up from the dream we inhabit—in order to free ourselves from the suffering the dream imposes on us. Elihu Genmyo Smith’s eminently practical Zen teaching never loses sight of that central concern: Whether it takes the form of zazen (meditation), koan work, or just eating your breakfast, the aim of Zen practice is always nothing other than intimacy with ourselves and everything around us.
Category: Religion

Hui-neng (638–713) is perhaps the most beloved and respected figure in Zen Buddhism. An illiterate woodcutter who attained enlightenment in a flash, he became the Sixth Patriarch of Chinese Zen, and is regarded as the founder of the "Sudden Enlightenment" school. He is the supreme exemplar of the fact that neither education nor social background has any bearing on the attainment of enlightenment. This collection of his talks, also known as the Platform or Altar Sutra, is the only Zen record of its kind to be generally honored with the appellation sutra, or scripture. The Sutra of Hui-neng is here accompanied by Hui-neng's verse-by-verse commentary on the Diamond Sutra—in its very first published English translation ever.
Category: Religion

Bestselling author and renowned Buddhist teacher Noah Levine adapts the Buddha's Four Noble Truths and Eight Fold Path into a proven and systematic approach to recovery from alcohol and drug addiction—an indispensable alternative to the 12-step program. While many desperately need the help of the 12-step recovery program, the traditional AA model's focus on an external higher power can alienate people who don't connect with its religious tenets. Refuge Recovery is a systematic method based on Buddhist principles, which integrates scientific, non-theistic, and psychological insight. Viewing addiction as cravings in the mind and body, Levine shows how a path of meditative awareness can alleviate those desires and ease suffering. Refuge Recovery includes daily meditation practices, written investigations that explore the causes and conditions of our addictions, and advice and inspiration for finding or creating a community to help you heal and awaken. Practical yet compassionate, Levine's successful Refuge Recovery system is designed for anyone interested in a non-theistic approach to recovery and requires no previous experience or knowledge of Buddhism or meditation.
Category: Self-Help